pistols used in afghanistan

[jock4688]

just got a gig in afghanistan and wondering what are the most common pistols used in country? ive got a chance to get some fobus holsters but as they are the hard plastic variety made for specific weapons just need to know what guys are getting around with. Cheers 4688

[Roy Batty]

Most Afghans dont carry pistols. They all own AK47s but pistols are reserved for ISAF troops, cops and real badasses. What are you going to be doing there and are you planning on taking your own firearms or trying to find some localy?

[jonosk]

U are not planing to join the talibans like that american did once;)

[Jaeger07]

He said "gig". Maybe he's going to play at a concert there. Oh my, I'll be looking forward to that.

[Hispeed1]

Jock, so you're either in the military or have a PMC job there. If so, aren't you already issued a pistol sidearm? Seen a lot of pics from the area of the Safariland 6004 tactical holster and various Kydex belt holsters. For the U.S., at least the Beretta M9, Sig P226R and various 1911 .45's, others have various Glock calibers. Just to be sure, you're not trying to disguise this as an @1r50ft question right?

[wayneard3413]

Jock, PM inbound

[IMTT]

Pistols are hard to find locally. The contractors seen on occasion in our AO carried a variety of different handguns and weapons. Very, very few afghans have pistols...I never saw one local carrying oneand fewer on the black market for sale. The few that are around are very, very expensive (relative term). The only exception was some police chiefs and high ranking govenment officials. Certain dudes in country have the know on where to get the goodees. Never try to take the stuff home with you if bought in country or dropped on you by guys rotating out and around.

Things may have changed since I was there. I was present before and during the DDR process so allot of guns were still open and floating around.AKs, grenades and RPGs you name it were easier in many cases to get than handguns. AKs were, are pretty easy to find in all configurations. There are all still allot there its just more concealed from my understanding recently. If you're choosing your own before departure then consider the host force in the area you are assigned to and what country they represent. And most of all if your group is friendly with them for favors if it goes wrong. Many times the hired guns would trade favors with us for repair of their weapons, spare parts and the like. I highly recommend the Glock if no support chain exsists. Second; carry a good cleaning kit (plenty of extra disposables), spare parts kit with basic repair tools with you as well as extra magazine springs. Test fire routinely! You can get a basic armorer CD on line and books / manuals. This weapon is stupid simple and cheap to repair. We had poor 2nd and 3rd echlon weapon support and fewer guys who knew what they were doing. We had to ship our very worst problem weapons for repair many miles away. Which meant a one to two week turn around. The good news is we had manuals on our weapons, tools and extra parts. We repaired no less than 6 weapons (rifles, pistols, one Machinegun and one MK19) during the rotation in support of an 8 man team. One rifle, brand new out of the box M4 with kit had to be shipped for repair (yes, it can happen).

Respectfully; for whatever it's worth, which might be very little.

[oldsoak]

If you are UK forces you'll know what your getting issued with. If your arent part of ISAF, and are wanting to "aquire", there are all sorts - anything from Chicom Tokarevs to home made copies of Berretta, but I'm a bit concerned as to why you'd want to do that. Certainly the places you'd get them are not where I'd want to go and I'd certainly question the legalities of doing that.

[California Joe]

jock, why would you be in here asking about what pistol to carry in Afghanistan on your new "gig"? Surely your company has a few people that might be able to give you an equipment list or at least a BTDT recommendation? Don't you have a preferrence already? I'd assume that you'd use the pistol you're comfortable with, from your years of experience, that got you hired in the first place.

James is a PMC there right now, PM him. Or PM Argyll, he's been doing it quite a while in Iraq.

There's quite a few other PMCs floating around here too.

[James]

No! Don't PM me!

You should know what you'll be issued before you come over. In fact, your company will probably issue you a holster too! It might be helpful for you to find out from whoever your gig is with, rather than asking mp.net to speculate.

[dacanadianbomb]

And it is mostly likely that you are going to be getting what the company issues as their sidearm,or what the client mandated in the contract.

Most likely 9mm.

James was lightning quick.

[Johnny_H02]

Most Afghans dont carry pistols. They all own AK47s but pistols are reserved for ISAF troops, cops and real badasses. What are you going to be doing there and are you planning on taking your own firearms or trying to find some localy?

Do you remember? ages ago someone who was in Afghanistan had found a original Martini Henry in A-Stan with the markings and all and it had to be destroyed or something :( heart breaking.
If I could get a Martini, I'd get my own weapons in countryp-).

[California Joe]

I'm pretty sure that ABNINF got an original Martini while he was there. Shipped it home...

[oswald]

I'm pretty sure that ABNINF got an original Martini while he was there. Shipped it home...
*makes plans to raid ABNINF's house*

[IMTT]

Yes, you can ship some "exempt" weapons as classified by Judge Advocate. You must go through the JA, post master for proper paper work and the chain of command. All must see the weapon then paper work is generated at each station. This is as of 04, 05 and 06. These are primarily pre-1900 weapons that come under different US federal firearms laws. This of course only applies to US personnel / US citizens. RPGs, AK s, Grenades, mortor rounds and God knows what else dragged in across the country or over the Pak border "forget About it!" legally within channels. The private shooters must generally go through the same steps at the main installation near them.

[Johnny_H02]

I'm pretty sure that ABNINF got an original Martini while he was there. Shipped it home...
OH that might of been it :D hope he did get it sent State side, that thing was gorgeous, a fantastic little piece of history.

[Geezah]

No! Don't PM me!



The above made me laughp-)

[ABNINF]

I'm pretty sure that ABNINF got an original Martini while he was there. Shipped it home...

p-) Yeah, I did get it home Johnny just had to do the proper customs paperwork.


*makes plans to raid ABNINF's house*

Just leave the AR please ;-)

[Flyboy]

Yes, you can ship some "exempt" weapons as classified by Judge Advocate. You must go through the JA, post master for proper paper work and the chain of command. All must see the weapon then paper work is generated at each station. This is as of 04, 05 and 06. These are primarily pre-1900 weapons that come under different US federal firearms laws. This of course only applies to US personnel / US citizens. RPGs, AK s, Grenades, mortor rounds and God knows what else dragged in across the country or over the Pak border "forget About it!" legally within channels. The private shooters must generally go through the same steps at the main installation near them.

Current as of 2007 also, I got back from there in May. My friend bought an old 'pistol' for her husband, pretty easy and effortless paper-wise.

[jock4688]

to those that gave helpful advice thanks. just trying to sort out my kit and pick up my own pistol in country. as i will be working as a medic i've been told that i won't always be carrying (but i will). as for gig, i meant work. sorry i don't speak net fag and no F**king Airsofter! i'm an ex-soldier. 4688

[Chops]

to those that gave helpful advice thanks. just trying to sort out my kit and pick up my own pistol in country. as i will be working as a medic i've been told that i won't always be carrying (but i will). as for gig, i meant work. sorry i don't speak net fag and no F**king Airsofter! i'm an ex-soldier. 4688

Simmer down sport.

If you're an "ex-soldier" and you're comfortable purchasing a locally acquired sidearm and ammunition then good luck.

If you are "working as a medic" for a private security company you will be issued with a sidearm, most likely a Glock series in nine milly. If you're working for an NGO or USAID they certainly won't appreciate you carrying and in all likelihood terminate your contract because of it.

As for getting all bent out of shape by the responses- be clear and straight up in your request and you may receive solid gen.

[Jaeger522]

One other thing to consider if purchasing privately (meaning not having a sidearm issued by company/organization); The GoA has been cracking down on foreigners carrying illegal firearms lately. So if you are not authorized to carry/own, you either want to get a license through the MoI or consider not carrying. If caught with unlicensed firearm, you could look at a prison sentence in an Afghan prison or at least a substantial sum as a “fee” to get the charges dropped.
And before we get into the senseless discussion on why the GoA is doing that despite thousands of illegal firearms in country – at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter to you personally if caught.
As again – get a license. It’s not that hard and costs 5000 Afs (100 USD) per weapon.

[DeltaWhisky58]

Jock4688 - please check your PM.

[AirCommando]

Very, very few afghans have pistols....
Germany delivered over 10.000 old German Federal Army ex P1 (aka P38) 9mm to the corrupt Afghan National Police (ANP). Maybe some goodies are flying around on the black market now.

[gafkiwi]

One of our guys who was in a training team with the ANA had an SVD in apparently top condition they kept on their wagon. He got all the correct paper work to get it back to NZ but none of the freight companies based there would ship it out, he was'nt a happy chappy it had been his pride and joy for 6 months.

On the pistols, One of my mates PRT teams lifted a weapons cache and found a luger and a large quantity of swastika marked tins of 9mm (1944 dated). they took the pistol to the armourer to check out, he gave the OK so they took it to the range for a blast. Apparently its mounted in a display board in the PRT base (in firing condition)

[California Joe]

Judging by jocks initial post I would say that he was hired as a contractor and was interested in what pistols were carried there by other contractors. Not in buying one in country of souvenier hunting. These threads tend to go off track...But if your company doesn't issue you one because they don't have clearance for you to carry and "you're working for an NGO or USAID they certainly won't appreciate you carrying and in all likelihood terminate your contract because of it." To quote Chops...

[ZoneOne]

Desert Eagle .50AE... enough said!


Easily concealable too :-)

[Kilkenny]

Unusual question. If your military buy a holster to fit issued pistol, if your mercenary buy a holster for whatever pistol you'll be getting.

[Kilkenny]

?, why did I get an infraction?

[IMTT]

I think the last thing need was more pistol for the ANP. At least the AKs couldn't be easliy concealed. That Luger would have been a very cool find.

[Chops]

?, why did I get an infraction?

Go and have a read of the rules and see if you can work it out yourself.

[DeltaWhisky58]

Unusual question. If your military buy a holster to fit issued pistol, if your mercenary buy a holster for whatever pistol you'll be getting.


?, why did I get an infraction?

Read your first post and you'll see the answer.

For the stupid comment in your second, you just got another one.

[DaReFaItH]

im not sure if the original question posed by jock4688 is the focus of this thread anymore, but it seems the question being asked is the availability of pistols within Afghanistan, legitimate or otherwise, so as to avoid being caught with nothing to defend himself with. Do organisations with members rotating back home sell off hardware, can you buy them at the local market etc.

no doubt the answers to these questions depend on who you ask, hence the different responses so far.

please feel free to correct me if i have wondered out of my arc.

[Jaeger522]

Germany delivered over 10.000 old German Federal Army ex P1 (aka P38) 9mm to the corrupt Afghan National Police (ANP). Maybe some goodies are flying around on the black market now.

I have seen some of them already - some NDS guards have them as well.
I heard it was 1000 being sent, but I could be wrong.

[Andreas]

Jock, so you're either in the military or have a PMC job there. If so, aren't you already issued a pistol sidearm? Seen a lot of pics from the area of the Safariland 6004 tactical holster and various Kydex belt holsters. For the U.S., at least the Beretta M9, Sig P226R and various 1911 .45's, others have various Glock calibers. Just to be sure, you're not trying to disguise this as an @1r50ft question right?

Quoted for historic purposes..

[AirCommando]

I have seen some of them already - some NDS guards have them as well.
I heard it was 1000 being sent, but I could be wrong.
Drucksache 16/871 Deutscher Bundestag, 7. Maerz 2006, kleine Anfrage FDP:.........die durch die 10.000 Pistone der deutschen Ausruestungshilfe....."

[Creeper]

Dude (Air Commando) read the rules for this gig,, "English" is the only acceptable context.
Please convert your dialog to ENGLISH!
Thanks.

[Marsuitor]

Afghans and pistols don't mix. p-)
Some of our guys took an ANP-platoon to the range one day for a joint-shooting, "you-try-mine-i-try-yours"-thing. Our folks came back all white in the face and scared sheitless, but had a real laugh at Afghan gangsta-livin' style with the Glocks... ;)

[James]

I saw some POS Makarovs that fired a round as it was chambered. Pull the slide back on a magazine, release, BANG!

[AirCommando]

Dude (Air Commando) read the rules for this gig,, "English" is the only acceptable context.
Please convert your dialog to ENGLISH!
Thanks.

Dude, Creeper, this google-translation helps?:
-Printing thing 16/871 German Federalday, 7. March 2006, small question FDP:.........the trough the 10.000 pistols the German equippmentsupport....."-


I think not. It quotes only the Federal German source link. Anyway, it says that 10.000 German P1 (P38) were given away as equippment support...........That´s all. I hope I didn´t violate any world OPESEC and PERSEC rules.

[Andreas]

Afghans and pistols don't mix. p-)
Some of our guys took an ANP-platoon to the range one day for a joint-shooting, "you-try-mine-i-try-yours"-thing. Our folks came back all white in the face and scared sheitless, but had a real laugh at Afghan gangsta-livin' style with the Glocks... ;)

Question is, does afghans and weapons mix at all?
selector set to auto, finger on trigger, lack of SA and perhaps lack of nightvision also.. All good things that make for "White faces" as you put it..p-)

Cheers
Andreas

[Jaeger522]

Thanks AirCommando - much appreciated

[Jaeger522]

I saw some POS Makarovs that fired a round as it was chambered. Pull the slide back on a magazine, release, BANG!

A friend of mine had a Pakistani made TT-33 copy that did that as well - until the mag was empty :). Funny, as long as you knew what was going to happen.